New Victorian on north side of Ocean Pathway, Manchester site. Jean Bredin photo for Blogfinger.net. 1/31/18. ©
Paul Goldfinger, MD, Editor @Blogfinger.
Amateur historical architects are already raving about this home under construction on Ocean Avenue—a work in progress. Our consultant has a one word review of this project so far, “WOW!”
Johnny on the spot evokes the old days when there were outhouses. We assume that there will eventually be indoor plumbing.
Besides the welcoming sight of this single family home going up where condominiums were once proposed—at the Manchester Inn location before it was destroyed by fire, other new Victorians (four of them) are actively under construction at the Whitfield Hotel site (Bath and Surf Avenues.) Recently #19 Bath Avenue reached the market at $1.25 million. #17 was similarly priced. As far as we can tell, no condos are presently in the works.
Link to the Whitfield construction site:
Whitfield single family houses
The owner of the Warrington who is suing the Township because he wants a hotel (? or condos) on his Lake Avenue property, the site of a huge fire last March which destroyed that hotel, might take notice of what happened to the Manchester and the Whitfield, and back off—choosing instead to put up one or two single family homes over there as well.
It would be good if the OGCMA (who owns all the land in town) would pay attention to the Master Plan and support the Single Family Homes in the Grove Movement–to join with the citizens of Ocean Grove who are solidly behind that concept.
The CMA might begin by pressuring the Warrington owner to change his vision for that site and then top it off by withdrawing their support for the aggressive and destructive North End Redevelopment Plan.
ROSEMARY CLOONEY:
According to OG zoning, you can only develop one single-family house on the Warrington lot.
The lot is 50′ wide and you need at least 60′ to subdivide for two single family houses.
Unbelievably the Board of Adjustment approved a 21 unit project (the boutique hotel where the Warrington stood) that would have required 42 available parking spaces on Sea View Avenue.
The application should never have been approved in the first place , but obviously “The fix was in.”
Now, the Township Committee is the enforcing authority in matters of zoning. And they are defending this lawsuit in court? Oh my.
Dr Carol is correct, the residents must attend and monitor this case.
Kevin, what court will this be assigned to? And is there a date? It might be worthwhile for us to watch the proceedings.
The Warrington lawsuit is the most important issue that is happening in Ocean Grove at this time and will decide what will happen in the future for OG.
The Township has hired a lawyer to go to court using Neptune’s illegal zoning that Neptune established for OG. Though the Township claims it is seeking to hold this lot to a single family use, using Neptune’s illegal zoning gives the judge an out to permit either a rebuilding of a hotel or two units.
Neptune’s zoning for OG was created in violation of the MLUL and Federal ADA law. It was created with the intent of permitting illegal spot zoning to perpetuate non-conforming uses and lots. If the judge uses Neptune’s zoning for OG, he himself will be violating the law that his own court has put into place.
Unless the Attorney hired by the Township addresses Neptune’s illegal zoning, there isn’t any doubt in my mind that the real intent is to permit another non-conforming use and lot to exist in violation of law.
There isn’t any doubt in my mind that the real intent is to commit a felony against the residents of OG.
The Warrington owner has proven so irresponsible, it is stunning that the Township does not pull out every stop to block this guy’s plans.
We don’t know the details of the cause of the fire, but we do know before the ash it smelled like slumlord. It was just good fortune that the Park View next door was torn down a few month’s prior; the whole block and possibly more would have burned down.
Before the fire it just sat there for years. The owner just doesn’t seem serious, timely and responsible. Just my impression.
In addition to OGCMA (the landlord) paying attention to Master Plan, it would be equally important for OG Homeowners Assn. (the owners’ “advocate”) paying attention.